Lesson 2: Why did the Founders believe that people need government?

1. Lesson 2: Why did the Founders believe that people need government? • In this lesson, you will learn some of the Founders’ most important ideas about our basic rights. • You will learn the Founders’ beliefs about where these rights came from • You will learn why the Founders believed that people must have government • When you finish this lesson you should be able to explain the Founders’ ideas about our rights and the purposes of our government

2. What were the founders’ beliefs about people’s rights? • Most of the Founders believe that people have certain natural rights. • Natural rights include the rights to life, liberty, and property.

3. Where do we get “natural rights?” • All people have natural rights just because they are human beings • We are born with these rights • No one can take these rights away

4. List the three “natural rights” and their meaning • Life is the right to live without fear of being injured or killed by others • Liberty is the right to be free. • Examples: Right to believe what you wish, read what you want, speak freely, travel wherever you want to go • Property is the right to own things such as books, a house, land, or a business. Your labor or work is also your property.

5. What problem do John Locke’s ideas help us more clearly understand? • Locke was an Englishman who lived from 1632 to 1704. • He was a “philosopher” which means he was a professional “thinker” who wrote about his ideas • He wrote about natural rights. • His ideas help us understand the problem of protecting the rights of people.

6. What is a “state of nature?” • Locke suggested that you imagine living in a state of nature. • A state of nature is a situation where there is no government, no rules, no laws. • Think about what your life would be like in a state of nature. • What might be the advantages and disadvantages of living in a state of nature? • What might happen to people's rights? • What might life be like for everyone?

7. You be the philosopher: • What would school be like if we lived in a state of nature? • Think what your classroom might be like if there were no rules. • Think what might happen if the teacher or the administrators didn't have the right to tell anyone what to do. • What bad things might happen at school?

8. What did John Locke say might happen if we lived in a state of nature? Life would be very difficult: • Some people might try to take away other people’s rights • The stronger people might force the weaker people to do the things the stronger people wanted them to do • People would have natural rights but their rights would not be safe • It would be very hard to live a safe, peaceful, and happy life in a state of nature

9. What was Locke’s solution to the problems of living in a state of nature? What did he suggest that people do? • He said people could make a social contract • VOCAB: Define social contract:an agreement among the people to set up a government • VOCAB: Define consent of the governed: people agree to obey the laws and the government they create, they can no longer do whatever they want

10. When people form a government they give up some of their freedom by consenting to obey the government’s laws. What do they gain in return? • They gain protection for their rights. • People would feel safer than they did in a state of nature. • They might live more secure and happier lives

11. What did the Founders believed that the main purpose of government was? • To protect people’s rights to • Life • Liberty • Property

12. Homework for Tonight • Read Lesson 3 of We the People (pp. 21-27) • Answer the study guide questions for Lesson 3 • We will have a quiz on Lesson 3 tomorrow